The present invention relates generally to the production of L-glutamic acid by fermentation, and more specifically to the production of L-glutamic acid by culturing a specific mutant strain of microorganism belonging to the genera Pseudomonas and Protaminobacter in a medium containing methanol as the principal carbon source.
L-glutamic acid is an amino acid which is in great and constant demand as a seasoning agent.
Numerous processes have been developed for the production of L-glutamic acid by fermentation using various carbon sources. However, due to the considerable expense attributed to the saccharine carbon sources, processes utilizing microorganisms capable of assimilating less-expensive carbon sources such as hydrocarbons and alcohols have been in considerable demand, particularly those processes and microorganisms which utilize methanol as the principal source of carbon in the culture medium.
L-glutamic acid fermentation from methanol using microorganisms of the genera Pseudomonas and Protaminobacter is known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,370 discloses the production of L-glutamic acid from methanol by culturing certain microorganisms belonging to the genus Protaminobacter. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 3,616,224 discloses the production of various amino acids including L-glutamic acid by culturing a microorgamism of the genus Pseudomonas in a medium containing methanol as a main carbon source.
Although the processes of the aforesaid United States patents realize the production of acceptable yields of L-glutamic acid, more improved processes which develop higher yields of the product are in demand.